Influence of aluminum oxide nanoparticles contained in wastewater on ecotoxicity, genotoxicity and hormonal disorders in aquatic organisms
Project title: Influence of aluminum oxide nanoparticles contained in wastewater on ecotoxicity, genotoxicity and hormonal disorders in aquatic organisms
Project leader: Nina Doskocz, Phd, assistant professor, Department of Biology, Faculty of Building Services, Hydro and Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, scientific discipline: environmental engineering, mining and energy.
Lead entity implementing the project at the WUT: Faculty of Building Services, Hydro and Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology
Call, programme or project name: The YOUNG PW competition as part of the implementation of the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” program at the Warsaw University of Technology
The unique physical and chemical properties of nanoparticles (NPs) have made them applicable in many fields, e.g. medicine, biotechnology, environmental protection, automotive and construction. With such a wide use of NPs in commercial products, their emission to wastewater and thus to wastewater treatment plants is unavoidable (Figure 1), where they can affect the microorganisms involved in biological treatment processes and thus affect their efficiency.
Figure 1. Migration routes of Ag nanoparticles released from biocides. Solid lines with arrows represent the flow of nanosilver. The dashed lines indicate different elements of the environment. TUO: Thermal waste disposal. WWTP: sewage treatment plant [1].
Few data showed that ZnO nanoparticles adversely affected the biological processes of nitrogen and phosphorus removal, including denitrifying bacteria and microorganisms responsible for the elimination of phosphorus, the so-called PAO bacteria (PAO, polyphosphate-accumulating organisms). However, the effects of silver and titanium nanoparticles have been studied the most extensively. This is due to the fact that they are commonly used to disinfect devices at home, medical facilities and in the food industry. Although wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered a potential source of nanoparticles in the environment, however, in the literature there is little data on their harmful impact on activated sludge and the impact of wastewater with NPs (effluents and influents) on ecotoxicity, genotoxicity or hormonal disorders in aquatic organisms. In order to meet the EU requirements regarding the need to extend research on NPs and create ecotoxicological databases for used and newly produced nanomaterials, the project will aim to: assess ecotoxicity, genotoxicity and hormonal disorders as a result of exposure to wastewater with the addition of aluminum oxide nanoparticles (Al2O3NPs) in relation to selected aquatic organisms. Aluminum oxide nanoparticles were chosen for the study because they are increasingly used commercially as well as by the chemical and military industries. On the other hand, data on their harmfulness are scarce, and the risk of potential release (due to the increasing use) to the environment, and what goes on to sewage or treatment plants, is high. Samples of synthetic domestic sewage with Al2O3NPs and Al2O3 (the macro form of this compound, control system) – influent (before biological treatment) and effluents will be analyzed. The conducted research will fill the knowledge gap on the risks resulting from the emission of aluminum nanoparticles into the aquatic environment.
The scope of the research will include the assessment of the impact of wastewater on:
- The growth of bacteria, fungi, algae and higher plants
- Survival of shellfish
- Genotoxicity of the bacteria
- Yeast hormonal disorders (YES-YAS test)
In order to characterize Al2O3NPs and assess the correlation between the harmfulness of particles and their physicochemical properties, the tested wastewater samples will be analyzed using the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) method.
The project will be implemented in cooperation with the Faculty of Chemistry of the Warsaw University of Technology.